chapter 4
1581 Words
"Hey, Kate, sorry, Helena!" Just out of the theater door, Felix hasn't switched yet for a moment. "Do you want to grab a coffee together?"
"Call me Kate." Helena hasn't completely stepped out of her role, with a hint of lingering embarrassment. But she didn't think it was a bad thing. It allowed her to maintain her understanding and performance of the character. "I'd rather not go. Keep the distance, remember? Frank.”
She hesitated a bit after saying that. Was it a bit silly to do so?
Luckily, she didn't see mockery or teasing on Felix's face, but rather a smile and... appreciation in his clear blue eyes. He nodded, "Well, at least let me say thank you. Your outfit today is fantastic. I almost immediately entered Frank's world!"
It was the first affirmation she had heard today, and it was exactly what she needed. "I'm glad that help you."
"Then see you at the next rehearsal, Kate."
"Okay, see you."
He was really kind. Helena took two steps out and then stopped, turning to look back at the fleeting figure of Felix. The hem of his trench coat was lifted by the wind, creating a very nice arc behind him.
But that wasn't the point!
Helena quickly snapped back and now the only thing she needed was to play the role well, that's it. Or maybe, added a hot cup of coffee more.
Regarding the second scene of Kate and Frank, there was an important hint in the script: Kate had learned her lesson completely from the first interview experience.
Should she continue to dress up? Helena hesitated briefly and then decided to continue. At least, Aaron didn't say “don’t do that” last time.
Helena didn't wear any jewelry, only tied her long hair with a silk square handkerchief, and changed into a loose solid color linen shirt, khaki ankle-tied cotton pants, and a pair of flat shoes.
In fact, when she walked into the theater, she found that many actors had started dressing according to their characters.
"Kate, take your place." A boy with light brown hair next to her, whispered.
But... Felix didn't seem to have arrived yet? Helena looked at Aaron and got a confirming gesture, so she put down the script and walked onto the stage.
Kate, who had learned her lesson, regained her confidence and knocked on the small wooden door in front of her.
With a creak, the door opened.
This time, it was her turn to be surprised.
The man standing behind the door was wearing a complete suit, with even a polished shine on his leather shoes. Clearly surprised as well, the man in front stammered, "Ka... come in, please."
A new floral cotton cloth was laid on the wooden chair at the dining table, with a yellow round cushion on top.
Kate thanked him and sat down, feeling extremely content, looking towards the sofa. Meanwhile, Frank, sitting on the slightly worn single cotton sofa, was in a difficult mood. His gaze was fixed on the floor as if trying to burn a hole in it, looked as if he were the guest of honor.
"Thank you," said Kate to Frank, as well as Helena to Felix.
But Helena quickly paused this emotional leap out of the scene and returned back to Kate's world. "Frank, thank you for valuing this interview so much."
"It's... my honor," replied Frank…
During halftime, Helena finally start had some confidence in her "little method." She found Felix, about to thank him in person, when Aaron walked over with a coffee cup, ”Hey, you two. Add two more new principles. First, Frank, you should make more communication with Valerie, at least she’s your childhood sweetheart and fiancée. Second, this kind of dressing up trick can only work once or twice. Can you two come up with something new?"
Throughout the story, Kate's family background remained an unspoken obstacle between her and Frank. After the interview, Kate travelled far away and Frank ultimately got engaged to his childhood sweetheart, Valerie.
“Well…I’ll go over and have a talk first.”said Felix.
"Okay." Helena watched as Felix headed towards Valerie, who stood in the crowd now shrugged at her and then smiled sweetly at Felix.
Helena’s phone vibrated, she opened the nearly desensitized name that popped up in front of her:
"When you're done with your temper, come back. I can still give you a chance. - Michael”
Hell him!
Helena couldn't curse on the spot, had to chugged down two cups of lemon water to suppress the nausea.
Rehearsals continue.
On stage, Valerie stood one step behind Frank,”Fran, she's gone.”Frank remained silent.
She took a step forward and embraced him from behind, tearing, "Fran, I am still by your side, I have always been by your side.”
For this kind of snotty performance that shouts the lines out word for word, Helena doesn't agree with.
But on the role itself alone, as she read the script, she clearly saw in the character the person she once was: To be confronted with a man in whose head and heart you're not the only girl, and yet to insist on staying by his side.
It's stupid, it's so stupid, Helena couldn't help but think that.
"Kate, Kate... the director is calling for you," someone said.
"Yes?" Kate looked up.
Aaron keep his expressionless face,”Kate, how do you think the performance just now went?"
Helena completely lost her mind and nervously caught off guard, blurted out without thinking, "Not silly enough."
“Um…Can you be more specific?"
“I think…tears alone don't prove love and devotion.”
Aaron nodded and turned to the stage, “Less tears, more dedicated, let's try again.”
"Thank you sooo much, Kate!" After the rehearsal ended, Valerie ran up to Helena who stood next to Aaron, grabbed her hand and said, "Thank you for your guidance."
"I'm afraid you have the wrong person to thank. ”Helena smiled and gently pushed the woman's hand away while taking her jacket,”The one who guided you was the director.”
Just after leaving the theater, her phone vibrated. Remembering the message she had received, Helena had no desire to see the name that started with 'M', so she ignored it.
But soon, the phone vibrated again, this time it was a call.
"Enough!" Helena took out her phone, saw an unfamiliar number on the screen, and angrily hung up.
"Helena!"
"What's up?" Helena turned around. Judging by the sudden braking action of the person in front of her, her expression at that moment must not have been good.
“Felix?”
"Uh... are you angry?" Felix, with a hint of apology, shook the phone in his hand. “I apologize, sorry, I was so desperate to find you that I asked for your contact information privately.”
It turned out, the number from just now was his.
Helena felt shamed for letting that “M” guy affect her emotions, almost affecting her work. She smiled as gently as possible, “It’s ok. What did you want to talk to me about?"
"A new way!" Felix's eyes lit up,”Aaron mentioned it, and I have come up with a GOOD way."
Helena's focus immediately shifted, "What is that?"
In coffee shop, Felix sat across from Helena, looking at her excitedly, his tone carrying some mystery, "Do you remember our first meeting?"
Helena took a sip of her coffee and set down her cup, "You mean... the eye contact exercise?"
Felix clapped with a big smile on his face, "Exactly! Let's give it a try, what do you think?"
Thinking about Aaron's arrangement during the audition, Helena thought, this method might work.
If they couldn't convey emotions to the audience through physical contact, then eye contact and expression were crucial.
"Let's do it." Helena adjusted her sitting posture, took a deep breath, and looked ahead—
This time, she traced the man's silhouette as finely as she sketched, bit by bit.
His blue eyes looked deeper in the dark, like a bottomless trench that was hard to ignore. The short cut hair still retained a slight curve, with a few strands leaping out and curving at the corners of his forehead.
Beneath his straight nose, soft lips curved in a soft curve with his smile, and freshly shaved scruff tinted a light greenish color along his chin, deepening slightly in the hollow in the middle of his jaw.
At the same time, Felix was scrutinizing every detail of the man in front of her-
From the day of the audition, he'd noticed her with an unavoidable glance.
He had never seen such a natural face: her shoulder-length hair, as rich as dark chocolate, framed her smooth cheeks, and her equally chocolate-colored eyes were so full of stories that the moment her eyes fell on you, it was as if they were going to tell you some stories.
Her lips are like the petals of a flower drenched in early morning dew, carrying the crisp fragrance of flora. When she did not smile, she looked so silent and sad, and when she smiled, as at this moment, it was as if the warm winter sun shone on her.
He looked at her, opened his mouth, and uttered the first line in the story.
"Hello Kate, I'm Frank, I've heard a lot about you. "
- Writer
